Read Online Make Quilts Not War by Arlene Sachitano - Free Book Online Page B

with talk of the shooting.
    “What on earth happened in there?” Aunt Beth asked when they made their way through the line at Jorge’s food cart. “People’ve been talking about someone being shot in the exhibit hall. I didn’t recognize the name they said, and I’m embarrassed to say I was relieved that I didn’t.”
    “It was one of Jenny’s substitutes,” Harriet told her.
    “I’m so sorry,” Beth said to Jenny, who had still not said any thing.
    “It’s very sad, I’m sure,” Jenny said in a flat voice. “I didn’t really know her. We only met a few days ago.”
    “Well, it’s a shame. I hope it doesn’t scare people off our event.” Aunt Beth made up three snack sampler plates, including the choc-olate-coated Twinkies. “You all probably need a little chocolate af ter this,” she said and handed them each a plate. “It’s on the house,” she added when Jenny started to dig in her purse. “Go find Mavis and tell her what happened before you go back,” she said as they turned to go.
    “Will do,” Harriet said and followed Lauren to a table under one of the open tents that had been set up just beyond the food carts.
    “Did Pamela have problems?” Lauren asked Jenny as she popped a slice of Twinkie into her mouth.
    Jenny stared into space.
    “Jenny?” Harriet asked when she still hadn’t answered after a long moment. “Are you okay?”
    “No, I’m not okay. That could have been me…or Sharon. We all three had the same outfit, hair and glasses. Whoever shot Pamela wasn’t close by. Someone would have seen them if they were. How do we know they were after Pamela?”
    “How do we know they weren’t” Lauren challenged.
    Jenny glared at her but remained silent.
    “Jenny,” Harriet said gently, “are you in some kind of trouble?”
    “I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Jenny said and stood up. “They aren’t going to let us near my quilt anymore tonight. I think I need to go home.”
    “Do you want me to drive you?” Harriet asked.
    “No, I’ll be fine. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She turned and left the food court.
    “Well, that was weird, even for the Loose Threads,” Lauren said.
    “We better find the rest of the Threads and let them know what’s going on. Jenny’s going to need support, and I’m not sure we’re the ones who can give it to her.”
    “She’s got some explaining to do, if you ask me,” Lauren said. “These Twinkies aren’t bad.” She popped a second slice into her mouth before tossing her empty plate into a garbage bin.
    They found Mavis at a booth in the north vendor area, on the opposite side of the exhibit hall from where Harriet had her booth. She was selling raffle tickets for a quilt, which would help fund improvements to the restrooms at Fogg Park that the homeless people who lived in the park had access to. The Methodist Church was organizing the project and had several fundraisers planned. They hoped to add an indoor shower and a coin-operated gas stove and tables in a covered outdoor eating area.
    The quilt was composed of a combination of blocks that de picted trees, cabins, mountains, birds and other country-related images, with vines and flowers connecting them into a whole. It reminded Harriet of a block-of-the-month quilt she’d seen at a show in Tacoma.
    “How’s it going at your end?” Mavis asked when she saw her friends approach.
    “Haven’t you heard?” Lauren asked.
    “Heard what?”
    “Someone’s been shot in the main exhibit hall,” Harriet ex plained.
    “What? How could someone be shot in a room full of people? Who was it, and did they catch the shooter right away? Was anyone else hurt?”
    “Whoa,” Lauren said and held her hands up.
    “First, it wasn’t anyone we know,” Harriet said. “It was one of the women attending to Jenny’s quilt. They didn’t catch anyone. Judg ing by the hole in her forehead, I’m guessing she was shot from across the room.”
    “We were outside when it